Wenger shows no remose after seeing red

By NEIL ASHTON

Last updated at 17:00 17 December 2006

Arsenal 2 Portsmouth 2

After claiming he would rather stay at home than attend last week's FA disciplinary hearing, perhaps Arsene Wenger should consider asking Soho Square for a spare set of keys following his latest outburst.

The Arsenal manager was fined £10,000 and severely censured by FA chiefs after his unseemly touchline fracas with Alan Pardew, but he showed barely a hint of remorse after he was sent off by Steve Bennett.

He can expect another rap across the knuckles when the referee's report lands on the mat this morning, but Wenger appeared indifferent following his four-letter tirade in the tunnel.

Wenger's £30,000-a-week salary will take care of whatever sanctions the FA care to impose, but his ambivalence is not becoming of one of the game's senior statesmen.

It appears to have escaped Wenger's attention that there are two teams on the pitch and both of them are entitled to score. Some of them, such as Portsmouth, will even have the audacity to take the lead.

By remonstrating with the referee to such an extent that he was given a red card at half-time, Wenger ignored the fact the entire Premiership have identified Arsenal's Achilles heel - namely their inability to defend setpieces - and he has yet to work out a way to overcome it.

Instead, the genesis of the Arsenal manager's angst was Bennett's correct decision to punish Gael Clichy for a foul, which led to Matt Taylor's free-kick being headed against a post before Noe Pamarot converted the rebound.

If he hadn't been exuding his customary authority after the game, anyone would think that the Arsenal manager had gone potty.

"I said what I thought, I thought it was a free-kick, I got sent off and that's it. Was it worth getting sent off? Certainly - because I was.

"If you can introduce me to some good losers in this game, I would like to meet them. There is no room for good losers here.

"I just objected because I didn't feel it was a free-kick. If you lose a game when you have conceded the first goal from a free kick, then you do not have the right to say anything because then you are being seen as a bad loser."

Wenger is certainly that, but his team deserve a pat on the back for their powers of recovery. Although a sign outside the Emirates still says 'Caution - Building work in progress', they are turning their new stadium into something of a fortress.

Even Matthew Taylor's delicious volley two minutes after the break wasn't enough for Harry Redknapp's side to record a famous victory and the game turned with the introduction of Emmanuel Adebayor.

The Togo international has been carrying the team in the absence of Thierry Henry, but he lifted spirits when he replaced the ineffective Jeremie Aliadiere, making his first Premiership start in nearly three years, 11 minutes after the break.

His impact was immediate and within two minutes, the Arsenal striker had scored his fifth goal of an increasingly satisfying season and then played a part with the cross that led to Gilberto's equaliser in the 60th minute.

Adebayor, who will be rested for Arsenal's Carling Cup quarter-final against Liverpool tomorrow, said: "When I came on I knew I had to make things happen straight away, but I was focused on my job.

"This is the best I have done for Arsenal. It took my a while to get my best form and to get the goals, but I have worked hard and now it is paying off for me."

The hard work is also paying off for Pompey. David James was again impeccable and Sol Campbell, returning to Arsenal for the first time since leaving last summer, provided solid support.

The draw leaves Redknapp's side in sixth place and although that is an outstanding achievement, the Pompey manager is about to remind one of his players that he saved his career last summer.

Kanu, who was given a year long contract at Fratton Park after West Bromwich cut him adrift at the end of last season, has been making noises about returning to Ajax in the transfer window.

The former Arsenal striker, who has scored nine times in the Premiership for Pompey, said: "I have a one year contract and the window opens in January.

"I'm scoring, so teams have to come in and say what they want from me. I appreciate what Harry has done for me, I appreciate the fans and I want to stay, but it's not in my hands.

"Right now I am travelling to Portsmouth from north London and it takes me two hours to get there and another two to get home. It is not easy.

"It's down to Portsmouth to say 'yes, he has done enough', and to reward me. A longer contract would help make me more settled."

To think Redknapp saved his career, that really is some way of showing his gratitude.